What rebuilds look like here
Tacoma's balloon-framed North End and Stadium District houses need the same engineering and cavity cleaning as Seattle's; South Tacoma, UP and Lakewood ramblers rebuild garages and fireplace surrounds; the plateau's two-stories rebuild attached garages and upstairs laundries; the rural south rebuilds after chimney and stove fires. Tacoma's Planning and Development Services and the county's office each have their own process.
From board-up to move-in
Secure the same night; assess and scope the next morning; mitigate and clean; approve the scope with code upgrades and owner upgrades separated; permits and engineering; rebuild in sequence with inspections; close out with contents returned and depreciation released. One contractor, one schedule, one claim file.
When you call
The dispatcher asks whether the fire department has released the house, whether utilities are off and whether you can stay there, routes a board-up crew the same night and an estimator the next morning, and tells you the contractor's name and L&I registration number before arrival. On covered claims the contractor bills your insurer directly and you pay your deductible.
